By Kouthar Sambo
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU) has condemned misinformation about the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, including claims that it will collapse the private sector.
Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on NHI preparations, the union insisted they no longer wanted delays and demanded the immediate implementation of the healthcare system.
Speaking on VOC’s Sunday Live show, NEHAWU Parliamentary Officer Barry Mitchell, said the Act is a “law of the land” to ensure that the government fulfills its obligation to implement measures that grant everyone equal healthcare.
“Section 27 subsection one of the Constitution ensures that everyone has equal healthcare, but there is a lot of misinformation around this. There is a belief that the NHI Act will collapse the healthcare system and that doctors will flee the country when this Act comes into effect (though signed into law already) – this is just fear-mongering,” expressed Mitchell.
“The current state of healthcare state in South Africa is not good, and there are long queues at hospitals for patients to receive help. The NHI Act will ensure many of these grievances, especially concerning the dignity of people, are addressed through the Act,” he explained.
*Listen to the full interview here.
Photo: Pixabay
